Areas Served Near Me
Located at 4030B Sports Arena Blvd, San Diego, CA 92110 — inside Self Made Training Facility. Serving metabolic testing clients across San Diego County:
About Your Exercise Physiologist
Jennah Brown holds an M.S. in Exercise Physiology from San Diego State University, with undergraduate work and research at UC Berkeley in the George Brooks Lab — Brooks is the exercise physiologist who revolutionized our understanding of lactate metabolism. Her master's thesis focused on VO2 and mitochondrial function.
More about Jennah →
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does VO2 Max testing cost in San Diego?
VO2 Max testing at Elevate Metabolism is $250. Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) testing is $100. The VO2 + RMR bundle is $300 (saves $50 vs. booking separately). Hospital-based metabolic testing in San Diego typically runs $500–$1,500.
How long does a VO2 Max or RMR test take?
The VO2 Max test itself is 8–15 minutes of max-effort treadmill or bike work, with a 45-minute total session including setup, warmup, and same-day results review. The RMR test is a 15–20 minute seated breath test, about 40 minutes total. The combined VO2 + RMR bundle runs about 90 minutes.
Do I need to fast before metabolic testing?
For RMR testing, yes — arrive fasted for at least 8 hours (water is fine). For VO2 Max testing, avoid hard training and large meals for 3 hours beforehand, but a light meal earlier in the day is fine. If you're doing the VO2 + RMR bundle, follow the RMR fasting protocol.
What's the difference between VO2 Max and RMR testing?
VO2 Max measures your maximum aerobic capacity during exercise — used for training zones, lactate threshold, and performance programming. RMR (resting metabolic rate) measures your daily calorie burn at rest — used for nutrition planning and weight management. Both use indirect calorimetry but measure different metabolic states.
How accurate is metabolic testing compared to a watch or formula?
Clinical gas-exchange testing measures metabolism directly at the cellular level. Age-based heart-rate-zone formulas (e.g., 220-minus-age) can be off by 20+ bpm for individuals. Watch-based VO2 estimates use accelerometer + heart rate proxies that have been shown to vary by 15–25% from measured values. Indirect calorimetry is the lab-grade reference standard.
Where is Elevate Metabolism located?
Elevate Metabolism is at 4030B Sports Arena Blvd, San Diego, CA 92110 — inside Self Made Training Facility in the Sports Arena / Loma Portal area. By appointment only, Monday through Saturday, 7am–6pm. Drive times: Carmel Valley 5 min, La Jolla 12 min, Encinitas 22 min, Carlsbad 30 min, Oceanside 35 min.